Codes and Workshop exercise

• You are a professional conduct committee and have two cases: • Professional moonlighting as lap-dancer • Professional invites clients to pray with her – What are the reasons for and against disciplinary action – Which reasons are practical and which are ethical What is ?

• Modern - rival to and deontology • Ethics is about determining morally right action What is - modern

• The (morally) right action is one that: – Leads to the best consequences (consequentialism) – Accords with moral rules (deontology) – Is what a virtuous agent would do in the circumstances (virtue ethics)

– All share a moral sense of "should" What is virtue ethics - classical

• No moral sense of "should" • Central concept - prudence/ practical wisdom/ sense/ ATC (all things considered) • What is the right thing for me to do = what is best for me • People should cultivate virtue - plants should have nutrition (in order to flourish) • Central problem - why be fair/ just? For inter-?

• E.g. Lying to dying – Consequentialism: Yes – Deontology: No – Modern virtue: Yes but with regret and virtue – Classical virtue: Not if unjust - otherwise goes into grey area (1) Coope CM. Modern virtue ethics. In: Chappell T, editor. Values and virtues: in contemporary ethics USA: Oxford University Press; 2006. p. 20-52. (2) Allmark P, Boote J, Chambers E, Clarke A, McDonnell A, Thompson A, et al. Ethical issues in the use of in-depth interviews: literature review and discussion. Research Ethics Review 2009;5(2):48-54. (3) Doel M, Allmark P, Conway P, Cowburn M, Flynn M, Nelson P, et al. Professional Boundaries: Crossing a Line or Entering the Shadows? British Journal of Social Work 2009:1-24. (4) Allmark P. An Aristotelian Account of . The Journal of Inquiry 2008;42(1):41-53. (5) . Nicomachean Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2000. (6) Macintyre A. Dependent rational animals: why human beings need the virtues. Chicago: Open Court; 1999. (7) Allmark P. Is caring a virtue? Journal of advanced nursing 1998;28(3):466. Codes and virtue workshop should cultivate virtue in order to be return a bottle of wine I've accidentally In our research on Professional Codes able to tackle the grey-area problems. taken from Sainsbury's at the bottom of (Doel et al 2009) we found them useful One thought is that this is particularly my trolley? as disciplinary tools in clear cases (e.g. good for inter-professional ethics stealing from clients). They seem less because virtue and moral character The answer Aristotle and would helpful in grey areas. We tested various unite professionals. give to this question is that a truly scenarios with professionals. In this flourishing human life would require me workshop we looked at two: 1) A I raised some doubts about this. I drew to have a virtuous character; without it I professional with a second job as a lap- a distinction between modern virtue couldn't be truly happy. So a virtuous dancer and 2) A professional who invites ethics, which emphasises character and person couldn't be happy stealing; and a client to pray with her. Using the virtue, and the classical theory from someone without virtue wouldn't be NMC Code we discussed these in which it arises. I pointed also to a truly happy anyway. But lots of people groups; we also discussed the practical couple of elements in classical theory disagreed with them - it's a debate that and moral reasons for and against that might be of use to modern still goes on. disciplining the professional. professionals. It's hard to say where this leaves us in The Code was of limited use. It has a a) Classical theory doesn't draw a terms of inter-professional ethics. I'm section about bring the profession into clear distinction between moral and unsure whether there's much to be had disrepute and a clause about respecting practical considerations. So in a case from asking "what would a virtuous people's beliefs. But neither give a discussion, there wouldn't be a question person do in the circumstances?" or definitive answer to these cases. There "Are there any ethical points we need to "what does courage tell us to do?" But I is a lot of "it depends" about them. consider" because all of the points are think classical ethics does have ethical. something to offer in the concepts of At this point, professionals might turn flourishing and in the idea that practical to ethical theory for help. In the past, b) Because of this, however, classical considerations are invariably infused that has often involved a discussion of theory had real problems with issues we with our values - there cannot be a list theories that emphasise the consider ethical, particularly those to do of value-free facts in a case followed by consequences (consequentialism) versus with and fairness. Essentially, a consideration of ethics. theories that emphasise rule and duties classical theory says all considerations (deontology). Virtue ethics has recently are practical - we should do what is Peter Allmark May 2010 been presented as a third way. It practically best for us as individuals. emphasises character: a professional So how is it good for me, for example, to